Despite a Palace directive thumbing down the use of rattan sticks or “yantok” to enforce social distancing amid the coronavirus pandemic, the Philippine National Police on Tuesday said they would still use the wooden tool for self-defense, while promising not to harm anyone with them.
“The instruction for our social distance patrollers deployed in malls, markets, terminals, and train stations is they are required to carry a baton or yantok, whatever term you want. This will be used for social distancing to avoid contact because without it, the police would have to hold the violators,” PNP chief Gen. Debold Sinas told reporters in a press conference at Camp Crame.
President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday night said he wanted policemen to return to using rubber batons to subdue criminals resisting arrest, promising he would look for the funds to buy them next year.
However, Sinas said: "You see, we have rattan sticks because we have run out of batons. Baton measures only about one foot so we preferred a longer one which is rattan sticks to determine physical distance. It won't be used to strike anyone. Also, if one turns out to be violent, we can use that to subdue them instead of shooting them.”
But the human rights group Karapatan opposed Sinas' order to use rattan sticks to discipline physical distancing violators.
The Commission on Human Rights earlier cautioned the government over threats to use rattan sticks against violators, saying the use of force and actions that may lead to humiliation and trauma is unnecessary.
